Organic fertilizer suggestions?

[cheap_walmart_art]

Last year I went with all liquid chemical fertilizer and my trees did fine. However, after Bonsai Mirai's recent podcast and several discussions with my local club members, I want to go 100% organic this year. My club swears by Dr. EARTH "LIFE" but it's a granule and I dislike the look of tea bag ferts. I tried some "Green Dream" pellets last year but they dissolved into a sticky maggoty mess that turned my soil to glue. Does anyone here use a cake form or hardened pellet organic fertilizer that won't break into mush in the first couple of rains? Or do I just need to get over it and figure I'll spend a day loading up tea bags? I was thinking about checking out sumo cakes, but I'm not sure it would be cost effective.

 

[Gary McCarthy]

Bonsai Mirai recommends Biogold. Jonas at BonsaiTonight.com is selling it now.

 

[bonsaidave]

Tea bags don't look great but they work and they are cheap. What about cutting small pieces of PVC pipe and using them as a holder for your fertilizer?

 

[Colorado Josh]

I bought some BioGold about a month ago. I have only put it on my tropicals so far. Within a couple of days, they were blowing up! I have never had as much growth in such a small amount of time. Previously I had only used osmocote. I think that I have been sold on organic fertilizers. Just wish I could find cheaper source.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I bought some BioGold about a month ago. I have only put it on my tropicals so far. Within a couple of days, they were blowing up! I have never had as much growth in such a small amount of time. Previously I had only used osmocote. I think that I have been sold on organic fertilizers. Just wish I could find cheaper source.

It doesn’t really work like that. But it is good that your trees are growing strong.

 

[Colorado Josh]

It doesn’t really work like that. But it is good that your trees are growing strong.

Could you clarify? Not sure exactly what you mean

 

[Mike Hennigan]

I used mostly used dr earth life this past year as most my trees are still in the development stage. It’s good stuff, my trees grew like crazy. Probably not the best feet for refinement though. Spending a few hours filling up tea bags is not too bad. Do you just not like the look of tea bags?

 

[coh]

Could you clarify? Not sure exactly what you mean

Solid organic fertilizers need to be broken down by microbial action before the elements (n,p,k, etc) are released to the soil. This activity takes days to weeks
depending on the components so it is unlikely that what you noticed growth-wise after a couple of days was due to the biogold.

 

[Colorado Josh]

Solid organic fertilizers need to be broken down by microbial action before the elements (n,p,k, etc) are released to the soil. This activity takes days to weeks
depending on the components so it is unlikely that what you noticed growth-wise after a couple of days was due to the biogold.

Understood. The pellets were breaking down when the new growth appeared. It was probably a week after I added it.

 

[JudyB]

I use Portland Rose Society fert, it's a pelletized type. I do the teabag thing, but this year I found some of those baskets fairly inexpensive so I'm going to try those out this year. I really like this fert, M. Hagedorn uses it from what I understand as well.
I can provide an email to serious interested parties if you want to get a bag. 20# for 39.95 shipped.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

I used mostly used dr earth life this past year as most my trees are still in the development stage. It’s good stuff, my trees grew like crazy. Probably not the best feet for refinement though. Spending a few hours filling up tea bags is not too bad. Do you just not like the look of tea bags?

That's right, it's purely an aesthetic thing with me. I'll go ahead and use them if that ends up easiest but thought I'd tap the Bnut forum for ideas.

 

[Japonicus]

I rotate between several liquid ferts both chemical as well as organic
then on alternate months, (once monthly) I use Espoma raked into the soil Plant Tone
alternating Holly Tone > (except for my Shimpaku). You could just use the Espoma
which is organic. Big box stores sell it as well as nurseries.
I found some baskets probably similar to Judy's but Espoma would
probably sift right through the black ones. There's probably some sort of pre made screens that would fit in.
I do not own nor have ever used a Kurig. I assume the associated baskets you fill with your own coffee
are too big and distracting for the typical sized bonsai? Surely one could cut fine mesh to fit these


One cut circular for the bottom and one cut for the sides, or tea bag inside or make screen pillows
instead of tea bags and baskets...why do folks not rake in organic fertilizers?
I understand if there's moss about the soil, but raking it in otherwise does away with the visual handicap.

 

[Mike Hennigan]

I rotate between several liquid ferts both chemical as well as organic
then on alternate months, (once monthly) I use Espoma raked into the soil Plant Tone
alternating Holly Tone > (except for my Shimpaku). You could just use the Espoma
which is organic. Big box stores sell it as well as nurseries.
I found some baskets probably similar to Judy's but Espoma would
probably sift right through the black ones. There's probably some sort of pre made screens that would fit in.
I do not own nor have ever used a Kurig. I assume the associated baskets you fill with your own coffee
are too big and distracting for the typical sized bonsai? Surely one could cut fine mesh to fit these
View attachment 231385
View attachment 231387
One cut circular for the bottom and one cut for the sides, or tea bag inside or make screen pillows
instead of tea bags and baskets...why do folks not rake in organic fertilizers?
I understand if there's moss about the soil, but raking it in otherwise does away with the visual handicap.

Raking it into the soil will clog up your soil, and reduce water and air penetration. Hence the entire point of using a teabag in the first place. I think that’s probably ok if you’re going to be repotting again in a year or two but could be very detrimental to a tree that’s going 6 six years between repots for example.

 

[Japonicus]

Raking it into the soil will clog up your soil, and reduce water and air penetration. Hence the entire point of using a teabag in the first place. I think that’s probably ok if you’re going to be repotting again in a year or two but could be very detrimental to a tree that’s going 6 six years between repots for example.

Well I've never experienced that as I rotate betwixt the twain, and wandered why I see it done with the tea bags most often.
Now I know I knew there had to be a logical explanation. Thanks Mike...

 

[sorce]

Use whatever is Cheap from Wal-Mart!

Sorce

 

[moke]

I rotate betwixt the twain, and wandered.

Sounds very Shakespearenesk, LOL you must have used voice text. I like it!!!

 

[Japonicus]

Sounds very Shakespearenesk, LOL you must have used voice text. I like it!!!

No voice text conversion, I'm not that modern. Still insist on a flip phone for calls and pc/iPad for the net.
Maybe that's it...old school hah! A coworker call me caveman. I told him my phone never suffers from slow internet.
The twain perhaps. I never read Shaky Spear, or attended a play as such, betwixt probably from King James Not sure.
Heck I can't remember if the tree I was wanting to lift today was replanted in bonsai soil in ground last year or not

 

[choppychoppy]

SUMO CAKES. I've been using for a few years - I've turned my club to them including all the old geezers - they love it and its what Bjorn (pretty sure you know this guy) is using. They are great - there is also a granular if you think animals may make off with them.

 

[moke]

No voice text conversion, I'm not that modern. Still insist on a flip phone for calls and pc/iPad for the net.
Maybe that's it...old school hah! A coworker call me caveman. I told him my phone never suffers from slow internet.
The twain perhaps. I never read Shaky Spear, or attended a play as such, betwixt probably from King James Not sure.
Heck I can't remember if the tree I was wanting to lift today was replanted in bonsai soil in ground last year or not

Hey your able to through downs words on here, so you have to be a bit tech savvy? And on here we all speak the same lingo “trees”!!!

 

[moke]

SUMO CAKES. I've been using for a few years - I've turned my club to them including all the old geezers - they love it and its what Bjorn (pretty sure you know this guy) is using. They are great - there is also a granular if you think animals may make off with them.

I have been mixing my own blend of Sumo Cake, I found all the ingredients and mix it up and put it in tea bags. I now have enough to last most likely several years at very small fraction of the cost of Sumos.